SANTA ANA, Calif. – A striker is scheduled to be arraigned today on charges of committing a hate crime assault against an unarmed African American minor and his brother on the campus of Irvine High School. Christopher Qu, 24, Irvine, is charged with one felony count of aggravated assault, one felony count of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, and one misdemeanor count of violation of civil rights with sentencing enhancement allegations for committing a hate crime, great bodily injury, and a prior strike conviction for criminal threats in 2013 in Orange County. If convicted, Qu faces a maximum sentence of19 years in state prison. The People will be requesting that Qu be held on $100,000 bail at his arraignment today, April 4, 2016, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

At the time of the crime, Qu was on probation.

At approximately 12:50 p.m. on March 30, 2016, 16-year-old John Doe 1, who is African American, was waiting in front of Irvine High School for his brother, 24-year-old John Doe 2, to pick him up from sports practice.

Qu is accused of carrying a metal pipe, hitting the pipe against several railings, and aggressively approaching John Doe 1 while he was standing outside of the school. At the same time, John Doe 2 arrived in his vehicle. After engaging in a brief conversation with John Doe 1, the defendant is accused of saying racial slurs to the victim.

The defendant is accused of slamming into John Doe 2 with his head after John Doe 2 had exited his vehicle to get to John Doe 1. Qu is accused of hitting John Doe 2 several times on the arm with the pipe.

Qu is accused of fleeing the scene on foot after John Doe 2 got the pipe out of the defendant’s hands. The victims got into their vehicle and called 911. John Doe 2 suffered a fractured nose and lacerations to his face along with cuts and bruising on his arms. John Doe 1 was not physically injured.

Officers from the Irvine Police Department (IPD) responded to the scene and arrested the defendant near the school. IPD investigated this case.

Deputy District Attorney Jess Rodriguez of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.